Improvement in corn and cane planters



2 Sheds-Sheet 1.

J M. FATE.

Corn-Planter.

Patented Oct. 16, 1866.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. M. FATE.

Corn-Planter. v Fla- 58,798; Pap'gnted 001;. 16, 1866.

N. PEYER& PHOTD-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON D. C-

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIGE,

JAMES M. FATE, OF BOONSBOROUGH, IOYVA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CORN AND CANE PLANTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 58,798, dated October16, 1855.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. FATE, of Boonsborongh, in theconn tyofBoone,and State of Iowa, have invented a new and Improved Corn and(Jane Planter; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof, reference hein g hadto theaccompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in whichFigure 1 is a perspective view of the improved machine. Fig. 2 is a planview. Fig.

Y 3 is a longitudinal section taken centrally through the machine whenin operation. Fig. 4 is a similar view, showing the dropping deviceselevated.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts of the severalfigures.

This invention relates-to certain novel improvements on machines whichare adapted for planting corn, cane, and other seeds, the object ofwhich improvement is to so arrange and support the frame carrying theseed-dropping devices that the attendant, while riding upon the machine,can raise or lower said frame at pleasure, without having to lift theframe upon which he is mounted, as will be hereinafter described.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand my invention, I willdescribe its construction and operation.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the axle of the carriage,having two transporting-wheels, B B, with wide fellies applied to itsends and draft-pole C secured centrally to it.

The drivers seat D is mounted upon the axle A by means of a frame, D,which extends back a suitable distance in rear. of the axle A, and hastwo scraping-plates, a a, applied to it, which are intended for clearingthe peripheries of the wheels B B of any earth which may adhere to them.

The foot-board D for the driver is secured down firmly upon the axle A,and immediately in front of this foot-board a post, E, is firmly securedto the draft-pole O, as shown in Figs.

1, 3, and 4:. This constitutes the several parts of the carriage or mainsupporting-frame upon which the attendant rides while operating themachine.

In front of the transporting-wheels B B, and suspended beneath thedraftpole G, is a transverse beam, F, which has a drawbar, F, securedcentrally to it and extending forward, which bar is pivoted in asuitable manner to the draft-pole C, so as to allow the beam F to Swingfreely up and down. This beam F is suspended from a lever, G, which ispivoted to the top of the standard or post E, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

To the rear end of the lever G a rod, 67, is attached, the lower end ofwhich is again attached to a treatlle, H, which is pivoted at one end tothe foot-board D, so that the driver, while sittting in seat D, can,with his foot upon said treadle, raise or lower the beam F. This beam Fis prevented from having any undue lateral movement by means of astaple-guide, g, which is placed astride of the draft-pole G, andconnected at its lower ends to said beam. This staple 9 should be longenough to allow of the required length of vertical movement being givento the beam F by the swinging of the lever G.

On top of the beam F, and at its extremities, hopper-boxes J J aresecured, for carrying the corn or other seeds to be planted. These boxeshave reciprocating slides it it applied to their bottoms for dischargingthe seed in proper quantities, and they are connected at their innerends to a transverse beam, it,

which is allowed to slide freely in a direction with its length upon thebeam F.

The slides are moved by the driver, while sitting in hisseat, by meansof a long lever, K, which is pivoted at its lower forward end and to thebeam F, and passed between two studs, 2' i, projecting from the lateally-sliding beam h, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Beneath the boxes J J, and in line with the wheels B B, are twocolters,L L, which are applied to seed-tubes that conduct the grainsfrom the slides h h, and deposit them in the drills made by the colters.The transportingwheels then follow and roll and press in the seed.

The seed-droppi n g devices are in this manner applied to a frame orbeam, F, which is al lowed to rise and fall freely, and thus accommodatethe colters to the inequalities in the surface of the ground, so thatthe seed will be planted at a uniform depth, however irregular may besuch surface; and, while this is the case, it will be seen that theattendant, while mount 2 sense ed upon the axle of the carriage, canraise or lower the beam F, with its seed-droppers, without such laborand without having to lift the f 'ame upon which he is supported.

The weight of the driver and the seed-dropping devices are all sustainedupon the carriag'e; but the drivers weight does not come upon themarkers or colters L L; consequently the only load to belil'ted is thebeam F and its attachments.

I do not confine my invention to any particular description of droppingdevice or marker, as these parts may be varied according" tocircumstances and the kind of seed which it is desired toplant. Byhaving the beam F sns pended from the main frame centrally, this beam isallowed to rock freely, and adapt itself to hill-side planting.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Let ters Patent, is-

4. Pivoting the forward end of the drag-bar I F of the beam F to thedraft-pole G, substantially as described.

5. Snspending the beam F, or its equivalent, from the main framecentrally, substantially as described.

JAMES M. FATE.

\Vitnesses:

D. L. WILBUR, J. W. BARNIIART.

